Conveyor belts generally, and modular conveyor belts specifically, are known. More particularly, it is known that an advantage to specific conveyor belts is having a high friction conveying surface. A modular conveyor belt having a high friction conveying surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,013 issued to James M. Lapeyre on May 15, 1990. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,013 describes modules which make up the belt with the modules having an area on their top portion for attaching a frictional member. The frictional members include an exposed surface which exhibits increased friction characteristics and includes an appropriately shaped portion which is removably affixed to the module such that the frictional member is secured to the top of the module by suitable means such as locking receptacles, adhesives, rivets, screws, or the like.
Similarly, a conveyor belt with a connecting drive member is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,724 issued to James M. Lapeyre on Dec. 4, 1990. This patent defines a belt made up of modules, each module having a top surface and a bottom surface and a first and second plurality of link ends joined by a connecting structure integrally molded with the link end. Each link end of the first and second plurality of link ends defines a pivot aperture, and the pluralities of pivot apertures in turn define first and second pivot axes. In the preferred embodiment, the elongated links extend continuously from pivot axis to pivot axis with a slightly orthogonal component such that the first plurality of link, or pivot, ends are offset at least one link end width with respect to the second plurality of link ends. Also, the spacing between the thickest portions of adjacent pivot ends is somewhat greater than the width of the pivot end such that pivot ends of intermeshed modules can be pivotally connected. The modules include means for receiving a driving force which at least has a vector applied orthogonal to the pivot axis and substantially parallel to the common plane for purposes of moving the modules. A belt formed of a plurality of modules will be moved in a direction perpendicular to the parallel pivot axis. The means for receiving the driving force comprises an integrally molded connecting member located about mid-way between the two pivot axes and extending transverse to the pivot axes. The connecting member lies substantially completely above the bottom surface of the link such that very little or none of the connecting surface or member extends below the bottom surface of the module. The drive sprocket is formed such that a recess for encompassing the transverse connecting member is defined in each sprocket tooth which in turn extends between the selected pairs of the parallel and elongated lengths of a module.
A modular conveyor belt is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,141 issued to James M. Lapeyre on Mar. 11, 1975. U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,141 has identical modules formed by injection molding which are pivotally connected to one another to form a conveyor belt. Each module includes a plurality of elongated elements, each element having a first pivot end and a second pivot end. The plurality of elongated elements are connected together such that apertures defined in each of the first and second pivot ends lie along a first and second pivot axis respectively, which pivot axes are parallel one to the other. The link ends of one module are intermeshed and pivotally connected by means of a pivot rod to the link ends of another module until an entire belt having a desired length and width is formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,045 issued on Oct. 16, 1979 to James M. Lapeyre clearly recognized the need for a conveying surface which would not allow objects to slip and thereby allow the belt to pass underneath the object.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,527 issued to James M. Lapeyre, et al. on Jun. 22, 1980 describes a base member for forming a link conveyor belt which has ridges extending transverse to the direction of travel of the belt for preventing the conveyor belt from slipping under articles riding on the conveyor belt surface. Related patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,170,281 and 4,080,842 issued on Oct. 9, 1979 and Mar. 28, 1978, respectively, both to Lapeyre also show conveying belts having members extending transverse to the conveying surface for moving articles on the conveying surface along the belt such that the belt cannot slip underneath the article.
It is, therefore, a feature of the present invention to provide a simple modular conveying belt having a high friction conveying surface such that smooth or bulking surfaced packages or other items are conveyed up or down an inclined surface with minimal slippage.
A feature of the present invention is to provide a high friction module for forming a conveyor belt which will reduce slippage between the conveyor belt and items conveyed by the belt. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a high friction assembly for forming a conveyor belt which will reduce slippage between the conveyor belt and items conveyed by the belt.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a high friction module or a high friction assembly for forming a conveyor belt with a high friction conveying surface, which surface is modular and has the inherent capability of being readily built to custom widths and custom lengths as well as being repaired and replaced.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a high friction module or assembly which can be brick-laid to construct a conveyor belt, and which is simple and easy to clean, construct, and use.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a high friction module or assembly for forming a conveyor belt with a selectable conveying surface, which belt is modular and has inherent capability for being readily built to custom widths and lengths as well as being repaired or replaced.
Yet further, an additional feature of the present invention is to provide a conveyor belt having a variable friction surface for engaging items to be conveyed by the belt, and simultaneously reducing the friction associated with the support members under the belt.
Still further, another feature of the present invention is to provide a high friction conveyor belt having a continuous, longitudinal engagement of low friction modules or assemblies for engaging the support structure or wearstrips of the conveyor belt.
Another feature is to combine a high-friction conveying surface with a substructure of high strength and stiffness.
Yet still another feature of the present invention is to provide a conveyor belt having variable friction modules or assemblies for engaging items to be conveyed on the belt, and simultaneously, reducing the friction associated with support members or wearstrips along all contact surfaces of the conveyor belt.
An additional feature is to maximize a high friction surface with a low friction subsurface to minimize the amount of energy needed to rotate or drive the conveyor belt.
Yet still another feature of the present invention is to minimize the friction between the wear strip and the low friction modules and high friction assemblies to achieve the optimum ability to move objects on the conveyor belt and minimize the wear to the wear strips and the wear to the modules and assemblies.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized by means of the combinations and steps particularly pointed out in the appended claims.